libraries stifling free speech?
Found via Pushing Rope: Are Political Blogs Being Censored By Hillsborough County Libraries?
Over at Tampa’s Back Door Ways, the writer says she was unable to get to her blog from a library computer. She surfed around a bit, and realized she could not get to a number of local blog sites. She informed Michael Hussey at Pushing Rope:
the Hillsborough County Library System is blocking content and comments to certain websites. Among these are State of the Sunshine, Ybor City Stogie, Tampas Back Door, (Pushing Rope) (outfield) and here’s a blank one julessideburn.blogspot.com
until just a moment ago and others, still checking which ones…
Of course, this freaked out the Ybor City Stogie “CENSORED?” and the Tampa Pirate “RED ALERT!“, but Jim Johnson at the State of Sunshine surmised it is because the county’s censor software is set to disallow all blogger/blogspot places.
I checked at lunchtime today, and was able to reach all of those sites from the library in downtown Tampa.
Tags: blogs, county, education, tampa
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February 15th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Jim Stine of the Hillsborough County library system sent me this email.
Tampa Pirate also couldn’t get the several local political blogs. I haven’t tried getting to the blogs on the Hillsborough system. So I’m not sure what is going on.
February 16th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Tommy,
Thanks for picking up on this. Stines has corrected the issue, but the problem wasn’t bandwidth. Here is the error message that was received for numerous blogs:
Not Available:
Why? –> The Websense category “Sex†is filtered.
Access to chat is not provided.
Catalog/Stacks Only computers provide no access to the Internet.
Plus & Junior computers provide access to selected web links only, not the open Internet.
–> To access eMail or a specific web site, please ask staff for assistance.
Recreation Centers, Children’s Services and Senior Centers provide limited access to the open Internet.
–> To access eMail or a specific web site, please ask staff for assistance.
Internet / Lab / WiFi Users:
Please verify that you have entered the correct web address. If not, re-enter the address and try again or ask staff for assistance.
Recreation Center (City of Tampa/Hillsborough County):
Please verify that you have entered the correct web address. If not, re-enter the address and try again or ask staff for assistance.
Senior Center / Children’s Services (Hillsborough County):
Please verify that you have entered the correct web address. If not, re-enter the address and try again or ask staff for assistance.
If you have other questions or concerns regarding Internet access, please ask a staff member for assistance. You may also complete a Request for Review of a Web Site form available at any Hillsborough County Public Library.
[ Full Internet Use Policy ]
I am glad we are unbanned, but I wish the Mr. Stine or his staff would just have been honest, instead he blames it on bandwidth…
Thanks again for your quick action with this.
Peace
Mark
aka
The Tampa Pirate
February 16th, 2007 at 12:41 am
I sent Mr. Stines a very polite email specifically addressing my experiences and including copies of the screenshots. I never heard back from him and I do indeed have hard copy and screen shots showing the preventing people from logging in or commenting on the half dozen blogs I visit most frequently in blog-land. (web-sense)
To my knowledge the library computers are no busier than they have ever been and I’m there a few times a week for over a year now. And, I’ve never had any problem blogging or surfing. I didn’t even realize at first because I was just reading around — (by the way, I’m an MCSE so …) — but then realized that the log-in bar on top of my blog was ‘web-sensed — (the sexual one) — so I tried to log in through blogger.com home page and got on and made one short entry about outpost. Each subsequent attempt was met with the web-sense sexual content block. This was astounding ! Would NOT allow me to log in to blogger ! So I went over to stogies site and his site had the same web-sense filter on top. I tried to comment on both sites and got back the web-sense. So, I scrolled down stogies page and started clicking on many of the sites I go to regularly… same deal. I think well what are they bothered about? dildos, ass, rape, WTF? So — in between retrieving and firing up my laptop, phrasing a letter to joe stines, racing around to the different sites — trying them first with the library computer and then with the laptop and checking to see if I could comment, plus running out of time on the library computer — and also finally downloading the program to the libe computer and saving screenshots of the blocking, I was busy. I managed to get on a few sites with the laptop and cut and pasted quick thoughts, sent the email, took some phone calls, (does anyone ever call at the right time?) printed the screenshots, saved some to jump drive and emailed others to myself, then realized that I knew two blogs that were NO sexual content … and tried both of those on the library computer. No dice. One was Jim Johnsons’s site (state of the sunshine) which I was able to comment on through my laptop (not the library computer) and the other was a cd revue site (jules sideburn) that is totally blank and it could not be logged into or commented on, either. (web-sensed sexual content)
The screen shots I have available in email show session time out but the printed ones do show the web sense filter at the top where a person should be able to log in. If I’d had more time I’d have more pictures of the comment pop-ups showing the same thing (sexual content filter) IMO, it was a definite thing that would have continued if I had not shed immediate light on it. I’ll scan the hard copies and post them. In retrospect, I still believe the right action was taken. It was a big huge deal and it was no accident. You don’t know who might have been trying to reach your blog then. If I went and hacked a site like that and prevented someone from doing business or exercising their rights to free speech — I wouldn’t get away with it for long. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal. (hehe) There’s something in the telecommunications laws about it, as well. Now, someone at the library will think twice before they tromple someone’s civil rights. I’d like to think we’re no big deal but I think michael might finally be wrong about something — his is a very well-respected and quoted and READ blog, he’s a big deal and people are watching. I check my stats and I know pretty much who is watching me. I’m glad that other people feel as strongly about the rights of Hillsborough County residents to read and type what they wish …. I believe if I had not said anything that tomorrow I would have gone to the library and found these blogs still censored. I’m grateful that tampa pirate also verified. It was wrong.
And, this is absolutely NO reflection on the part of librarians. They are not technical experts and I have confidence in my ability to know what is what with a computer ….
IMO one of the techs was told to filter and mess around and they were doing the bidding of someone. That is the only thing I can’t prove - just a gut feeling.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:40 am
I have a question: Why is anybody using library computers to read political blogs all day? Don’t you have computers at HOME where you can do that? Get off there so somebody else can use it for research and other meaningful pursuits. (You can’t look up porn on library computers either. Anybody protesting that too?)
February 16th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Blogs are used for research and other meaningful pursuits.
So is porn.
But I’ll have to tell you about that some other time.
February 16th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Kate
You’re great!
February 16th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
CW, are you saying that people who cannot afford a computer are not allowed to look at political blogs?
February 16th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Delusions of persecution are one of the more common symptoms of acute schizophrenia.
February 16th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I knew it wouldn’t take long before somebody misunderstood what I’m saying. Computers and access to the Net are just about affordable to everyone these days (I know, dialup is beneath some of y’all but stay with me here). Libraries are meant for a lot more things than loitering. Those computers are a privilege, not a right! If you want to wile away the hours blogging, why not do it in the comfort of your own home?
February 16th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
C.W.’s approach is the typical ‘red-herring’ but I think Kate has the best answer.
Loiter: loiter
Main Entry: loi·ter
Pronunciation: \ˈlȯi-tər\
Function: intransitive verb
Etymology: Middle English
Date: 14th century
1: to delay an activity with idle stops and pauses : dawdle
2 a: to remain in an area for no obvious reason b: to lag behind
And, I think that there is also the suggestion of a criminal act by the choice of the word loiter.
http://www.freespeech.org/fscm2/contentviewer.php?content_id=923
Hmmm, is CW suggesting that citizens who visit the library and ‘wile away time’ are performing a criminal act?
Is he/she a Tampa cop?
Isn’t he/she the same one who thought the gasparilla rape victim reported the rape so she could be arrested?
I’m not sure where he/she got the idea that anyone loitered but I find it a verrrryyyy interesting choice of words to use towards a citizen patron of a public facility.
CW — are you a security guard at a chock-a-block apartment complex on Manhattan or is your thinking just what it seems to be?
something wrong with your picture — adjust the set, sweetie…
February 16th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
If I want to spend my lunch hour perusing blogs at the library, I’m damn sure going to do it.
For you to suggest that YOU should decide the best way for ME to spend my time is rude at best.
Are you saying libraries should only be used for research? Or they should be used for anything except the internet? I don’t think you can make an argument for either.
February 16th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
All y’all need to calm down. And log off. TGIF!
February 17th, 2007 at 1:28 am
C.W is baaaaack….